Canon EOS 5D Mark II In-depth Review

August 2009 - Updated to reflect the additional manual control over video exposure introduced with firmware 1.10.

Back in August 2005 Canon 'defined a new DSLR category' (their words) with the EOS 5D. Unlike any previous 'full frame' sensor camera, the 5D was the first with a compact body (i.e. not having an integral vertical grip) and has since then proved to be very popular, perhaps because if you wanted a full frame DSLR to use with your Canon lenses and you didn't want the chunky EOS-1D style body then the EOS 5D has been your only choice. Three years on and two competitors have turned up in the shape of the Nikon D700 and Sony DSLR-A900, and Canon clearly believes it's time for a refresh.

So here is the 5D Mark II, which punches high in terms of both resolution and features, headlining: 21 megapixels, 1080p video, 3.0" VGA LCD, Live view, higher capacity battery. In other words, a camera that aims to leapfrog both its direct rivals, either in terms of resolution (in the case of the D700) or features (in the case of the DSLR-A900). Full detail below.

Key features / improvements

21 megapixel CMOS sensor (very similar to the sensor in the EOS-1Ds Mark III)

Comments

I have been shooting and using the 5D Mark ii for about 3 years now and it has been a wonderful camera, but my instincts are telling me to upgrade. I've shot a lot with a 50mm lens. I've shot commercials and travel videos with it, but I want to change cameras after using it for this long.

It's an incredible camera, but there are certain things about I'd change to make it ideal for the material I wish to continue shooting and I would appreciate any advice you have on what might be a more ideal camera for what i'm continuing to work on.

1. FOCUS - I love the depth of field the 5D brings, especially for rack focus shots but I run into issues when I'm moving the camera or a subject is changing distance. So looking for some thing that still creates DOP but will allow auto focus while moving.

2. STABILIZATION - Movement with the camera creates very unstable shots and I have used the ronin and glide cams, but would like something that doesn't have as much shake.

3. PHOTOS - I do like the ability to take photos, but I'm not married to a camera that has the capability of both photo and video. I was thinking I would sell my mark ii and use that money to buy a different camera, but if the new camera doesn't allow for photos I would probably keep the mark ii for that purpose and get a camera with only video capabilities.

4. TRANSPORTATION & ACCESSORIES I move around a lot with the camera and that's what made the 5D so great. It's compact and easy to bring with anywhere. So it would be nice to have a camera that gives me that kind of feature and something that has a strong battery life.

Would appreciate any suggestions you have and feel free to ask me any questions if you'd like more information on my usage of a camera. Really appreciate the reviews you post for the camera junkie and film making community :)

I work in Nyc as a fashion photographer and I have to say the the 5d series are the most used cameras out side of medium format cameras .Ive been shooting with the mark 3 for over a year after shooting with the mark 2 for 2 years great both great cameras. You can see the shots I've taken with it for my work on my website www.brianschutzaphotography.com hope it helps!! also note I only shoot RAW format.

Was it really 2009? I'm still in the first flush of my love affair with this camera. And I'm still fathoming the depths of its capability. Okay, she's got a lot of paint missing these days, but the images are still magic. Whenever I use another camera, I sigh and wonder why I didn't use the 5D2.A brief history of photography:

As I know when the original 5D debuted three years ago, it wasn't clear why most enthusiasts would want such a camera. Though it captured excellent, high resolution images, it was slower and bigger and more expensive. Today the market has changed significantly, and it's clear that the market is ready for full-frame digital SLRs that can turn out high image quality. High quality is one thing, but being a camera that can deliver high quality over a wide range of lighting conditions and different ISO settings is what makes the Canon 5D Mark II such a compelling choice, and a clear Dave's Picks.It's really very very good.

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